Mean Green

Some of the coolest cars ever created are those derived from our fondest childhood memories. Such was the case for Chris Stratmann from Topeka, Kansas, and his impeccable '67 Rally Green Camaro.

As a toddler, Chris had always taken notice of a neighbor's '69 Camaro with its Rally Green hue and white stripes. However, by the time he was old enough to drive, Mopars were his vehicle of choice. This interest snowballed into a series of buildups that included a '73 Challenger, a '67 Belvedere, and a '70 Dart.

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It wasn't until years later that Chris happened upon a '67 Camaro shell and felt inspired to create his version of the car that had burned an indelible impression in his mind. After relinquishing the $1,500 asking price, Chris was only concerned about making a quick getaway with his newfound treasure. But then the original owner flagged him down to haul off the remainder of the parts. It turned out the roller also came with a new interior, a cowl hood, and various other pieces that added up to nearly $1,200 worth of goodies!

It's been nearly a decade since that fateful transaction, and since then the Camaro has gone through a complete ground-up restoration, along with the addition of a brutal fuel-injected and supercharged small-block 383. Chris enjoys flogging the Camaro down the quarter-mile and has been able to dig deep into the 11-second zone at over 130 mph. He enjoys those excursions so much that he claims the '67 will eventually be relegated to race-car-only status when he finally gets tired of cruising it. Call us crazy, but with a street machine like his, we don't imagine that'll happen for a very long time.

Car Craft Q&A

Car Craft: How long did it take you to build the '67?

Chris Stratmann: Close to 10 years, but it really depends on how you look at it, since I spent the majority of the time gathering parts. I originally purchased the Camaro as a roller back in 1990 and started to collect the exterior parts. It wasn't until 1995 or 1996 that I focused more on the engine work.

CC: Any particular reason you went with a fuel-injection setup?

CS: I just really wanted to follow through with the high-tech theme while retaining the factory look.

CC: Was the Holley Commander 950 difficult to install or tune?

CS: Pretty easy actually. I already had the Holley Pro-Strip Annihilator ignition, so the Commander 950 was completely compatible and literally plugged right in. As for tuning, Holley has numerous fuel maps on its Web site that you can download, which made tuning a breeze. Matter of fact, they had a basic tune for a supercharged small-block Chevy putting out 14 pounds of boost. I tried it and the engine fired right up!

CC: Are there any additional modifications currently in the works?

CS: Not really. I recently upgraded to the Holley race software in order to tune with a wide-band oxygen sensor, but otherwise, I've been driving and enjoying it every chance I can.